LAKE OZARK, Mo. — Two Missouri men have been charged after using an illegal technique to catch catfish in the Lake of the Ozarks.
Agents with the Missouri Department of Conservation recently received information about a possible “noodling” case at the lake.
Noodling, or hand-fishing, is a technique where poachers reach their hands or hooks into catfish nests and drag the catfish out, according to MDC. Removing the parent fish from the nest then kills the hundreds of eggs it was protecting.
After investigating a tip, one of the suspects was identified and interviewed. The man admitted to the hand-fishing violations and identified a second person who was involved.
Russell D. Wallis of Camdenton and Samuel A. Phillips of Edwards have been charged with illegally taking game fish by hand-fishing and possession of illegally taken wildlife.
To report hunting or fishing violations call 1-800-392-1111.
